Provisional BERs FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A provisional BER is an assessment on a building prior to construction, indicating the expected energy rating of the property. Its main function is to show how a house will comply with Part L of the Building Regulations once it has been constructed.
As stated above, the main function of the provisional BER is to show how a house will comply with Part L of the Building Regulations once constructed. The Provisional BER Cert outlines the minimum required standards the house will need to be built to comply with the building regulations. If you are building a new home, a Provisional BER will be requested by your Local Authority (County Council) once the commencement notice is lodged to the planning department. If you are buying a new home from the plans, you should be provided with a provisional BER. Upon completion of the build, you should then be provided with a final BER.
A provisional BER is completed via the plans of the building design and specifications. Unlike a normal BER where an on-site assessment is carried out, a provisional BER uses the plans to gather all the required information to determine the energy rating and to ensure that the minimum required standards are met to comply with the building regulations.
A provisional BER is valid for a maximum of 2 years. When the property is completed, the provisional BER must be replaced by a final BER based on a survey of the completed property supported by the final drawings and building specifications which represent the home as constructed.
